Representing Israel proudly, Saraf looks to build promising rookie season in Brooklyn - interview

Israeli basketball has taken significant strides forward in recent years, thanks in large part to the success of Deni Avdija in the National Basketball Association.

His emergence as a star with the Portland Trail Blazers and his selection to last season’s NBA All-Star Game have shown a generation of young Israelis that reaching the world’s premier basketball league is no longer just a dream.

While Avdija was taking his first steps in the NBA with the Washington Wizards, Ben Saraf was developing his game in Europe before being selected by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 20-year-old guard enjoyed a solid rookie campaign, appearing in 44 games and making 11 starts while averaging 7.5 points, 3.3 assists and 2.1 rebounds in 20.8 minutes per game.

Despite the challenges that come with adapting to the NBA, Saraf continued to develop his skills and became yet another role model for young basketball players across Israel.

Saraf, who also played in the NBA Summer League, returned to Israel to take part in a special event hosted by legendary YouTuber and sports analyst Pini Barel together with Foot Locker at Cinema City in Rishon LeZion. The event gave hundreds of fans the opportunity to hear firsthand about life in the NBA and meet one of Israel’s brightest basketball stars.

Prior to the event, Saraf sat down with The Jerusalem Post to discuss his debut NBA season, his development as a player and what it means to be an Israeli and a Jew playing in New York City.

“It’s so much fun meeting the Israeli fans,” Saraf began as he spoke about the special program. “We haven’t really had events like this in Israel before, so it’s something special for the basketball culture here. I’m having a great time, and it’s amazing to see people wearing my jersey. That’s really exciting. I hadn’t been back to Israel for quite a while, so it’s always great to come home.”

Playing in the NBA is, of course, a dream come true for the modest Saraf, who played for teams in Netanya, Kiryat Ata and Ulm before landing in the United States, where he is teammates with fellow Israeli Danny Wolf and now competes in the same league as Avdija.

'Bigger than basketball'

“I think the most exciting and emotional moment was the game where there were three Israelis playing together on the same court with all the Jewish fans in attendance. It was so much bigger than basketball. That was definitely the most powerful moment of my season.”

Being based in New York has allowed Saraf to spend time with the largest Jewish community outside of Israel, something he is taking full advantage of.

“It’s amazing. There are endless Friday night dinners. Even when I travel to other places, I meet many Israelis and Jews doing gap-year programs or volunteering, and I’m always invited over. That’s also true when it comes to Chabad houses across the country. I try to go whenever I can. I also visited a Jewish school in Cleveland to talk with the kids. It’s great. I really appreciate all that support.”

Saraf learned plenty during his first season in the NBA and gained valuable insight into the areas of his game that still need improvement. While he shot 39.6 percent from the field and 83 percent from the free-throw line as a rookie, the guard knows there is room to grow, particularly with his outside shot after connecting on 21.1 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.

“During my workouts over the past few months, the Summer League and our team practices, I already feel like the game has slowed down for me a bit. You have to get used to the pace and understand better what’s expected of you. This summer, I’m focusing a lot on improving my shooting, getting stronger physically, learning how to take care of my body and how to prepare for games. Those are all things you learn during your first NBA season, and I’m happy about that.”

The national team remains a major priority for Saraf, as it does for virtually every Israeli basketball player. Although he would have liked to represent Israel during the recent World Cup qualifying window, obligations with the Nets prevented him from doing so. Still, there is little doubt that he sees a bright future alongside Avdija in blue and white.

“It’s a huge dream. Honestly, whenever I play for the national team, that’s when I enjoy basketball the most. Those tournaments are the most fun for me, and it’s always an incredible experience. I’m also really excited to watch the youth national teams. They’re doing an amazing job. I think we have a lot of talented prospects and that we can become a really strong national team in the future. I’m very excited about that.”

As for the upcoming season, Saraf has both personal and team goals he hopes to achieve.

“I think this year we want to win as many games as possible. Last season, there were more opportunities for the younger players, and I think that really helped all of us. But this year it’s about winning. Whoever helps the team win is going to play. So for me, it’s about earning minutes, earning the coaching staff’s trust and being as impactful as I can.”

For Saraf, there are also bigger dreams on the horizon.

“Making the playoffs is definitely a dream. I think this year our team has been built well, and I really believe we can do it. That’s our goal.”

Saraf also finished his rookie season on a high note. After spending part of the year in the G League, the 20-year-old responded with arguably the strongest stretch of basketball of his young NBA career. Over Brooklyn’s final four games, he averaged 17.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists while logging more than 32 minutes per contest. The highlight of that run came when he scored 19 points in back-to-back games against Milwaukee and Indiana, showing the poise, confidence and playmaking ability that made him one of Europe’s most highly regarded prospects.

Saraf also experienced some adversity during his rookie campaign, including a stint in the G League. However, he viewed the experience as an opportunity rather than a setback and returned to finish the season strongly, averaging 0.9 steals per game while showing flashes of the playmaking ability that made him such a highly regarded prospect.

Carving a role with Nets

But his strong finish offered a glimpse of Saraf’s potential heading into his sophomore season and reinforced his belief that he can carve out a meaningful role with the Nets moving forward.

“It was really important for me to prove to myself that I was capable, even if I had to take a step back. I wanted to stay mentally strong, and I think by the end of the season I was playing much better and had some good games. But the goal now is to start next season already playing a meaningful role with the team.”

Being part of the NBA also gives Saraf a front-row seat to some of the league’s biggest storylines and blockbuster moves.

“I think every year it’s crazy, but ever since the Luka Doncic trade from Dallas to the Lakers, it’s on another level. It really shows that anyone can be traded from their team at any point. Even LeBron James is now in the Eastern Conference.”

While life in the NBA may be exhilarating, Saraf still misses some things from home.

“No question,” he smiled. “The beach, the fruit and the weather.”